Regional Weather and Climate, Atmospheric Hazards, and Health

The Dead Sea region and the ambient Eastern Mediterranean coastal zone provide a natural laboratory for studying atmospheric processes ranging from the smallest scale of cloud processes to regional weather and climate. The impact of those processes on the water availability in the region is of decisive importance. Especially, cloud and precipitation formation, the energy budget of soil and water surfaces, and flow dynamics are key processes for the water cycle and its variability. The role of aerosols in modifying clouds and precipitation and in developing the Dead Sea haze layer is one of the most intriguing questions. The haze influences visibility, solar radiation, and evaporation, and may even affect economy and health.